You guys you guys you guys. I’m like Eliza when Henry Higgins says By George She’s Got it. Yes, Audrey and I belong in the category because sometimes in life, extraordinary things do happen and for me it’s steamed bacon buns.
P.S Instagram mates: there’s a highlighted video of this recipe in my stories!
Please do not get overwhelmed by the length of this recipe. Yes it is a labour of love so consider this a weekend job or a night in with wine kinda thing. Give yourself time to rest the dough properly and enjoy the process.
Epic Cheats Steamed Pork Buns
Makes 12 lil buns
Adapted from Molly Yey
Ingredients
Dough…
- 1 packet of yeast (11g)
- 3 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
Filling…
- 200g chopped bacon
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sriracha (chilli sauce)
- 1tbs Chinese rice wine
- 2tbs sugar
- 2tbs cornflour
Method
Note: you’re gonna need a steamer for this recipe.
Using a stand mixer…
In your mixer bowl, add 3/4 cup of warm water, the packet of yeast and 1tsp of your sugar. Give it a stir then leave aside until foamy. Once that’s looking activated, using the dough attachment add the flour, remaining sugar, vegetable oil and milk and work on a low speed for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the hook then leave in the bowl with a covered damp tea towel for 2 hours.
Using good ol’ hands…
Firstly, great work. Secondly take off your rings. In a little bowl add 3/4 cup of warm water, the packet of yeast and a 1tsp of sugar. Give it a stir then leave aside until foamy. Grab a big bowl and combine the flour, sugar, vegetable oil, milk and yeast mixture into a dough. Sprinkle out some flour onto your surface then kneed the dough for 5-10 minutes or until soft then put in a large bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for 2 hours.
All together now…
While that’s rising grab a pan and start to fry your bacon until crispy then turn off the heat and leave on your stove top. In a little pot, add your sriracha, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and 3/4 cup of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Put your cornflour in a mug and stir it around with a few tablespoons of your soy sauce mixture until you have a thick paste then add it to the pot along with your cooked bacon. Keep stirring around while it bubbles away for a minute or two then turn off the heat and leave to cool/solidify. (if you add the cornflour to the whole thing at the start it will clump up).
2 hours later/when the dough has doubled, halve the dough, the again then again then again until you have 12 balls. Put them on some baking paper then using your hands flatten each ball into a little disc. Spoon a little bacon mixture into the centre of each disc then squish the diagonal corners together thus making little dumplings!
Leave them to sit on your kitchen bench while you boil a pot of water and line your steamer with baking paper. Once the water is rapidly boiling over the highest heat you have, place the dumplings in the steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes or until just about doubled in size. YUM.
